WASHINGTON (dpa-AFX) - Researchers with the American Heart Association have released a new scientific statement in the journal Circulation on how coffee and caffeine affect heart health.
For this, the experts reviewed findings from several previous studies that looked at how caffeine affects blood pressure, cholesterol, metabolism, and the risk of heart and blood vessel diseases. They found that consuming up to 400 milligrams of caffeine a day-about five 8-ounce cups of coffee-is generally safe for most people and may even lower the risk of heart disease in some cases. However, consuming large amounts of caffeine, especially from energy drinks, could be harmful.
The results were not always the same, suggesting that more research is needed. For example, some studies found that drinking one to three cups of coffee a day could slightly increase blood pressure in people with normal blood pressure, while drinking more than three cups was linked to lower blood pressure. Researchers also noted that unfiltered coffee, whether regular or decaffeinated, contains a substance called cafestol, which may raise LDL, or 'bad', cholesterol levels. Some of coffee's health benefits, such as a lower risk of type 2 diabetes, may also come from compounds other than caffeine.
'These contrasting outcomes may be attributed to differences in caffeine concentration and the presence of other bioactive compounds such as taurine in energy drinks and chlorogenic acid in coffee with opposing effects on blood pressure,' the researchers explained.
Meanwhile, in people who already had high blood pressure, caffeine was found to increase blood pressure temporarily. Some studies also showed that people with normal blood pressure who drank one to three cups of coffee a day had a higher risk of developing high blood pressure, while those who drank more than three cups appeared to have a lower risk.
The researchers advised that it is important to keep track of your daily caffeine intake, especially if you regularly consume energy drinks or energy shots. If caffeine affects your sleep or causes other health concerns, reducing your intake may help. However, since most people consume less than 200 milligrams of caffeine a day, the average person is unlikely to face problems from their current coffee intake.
'The convergence of evidence from large cohort studies and small randomized controlled trials supports the conclusion that moderate caffeine or coffee consumption. (up to 400 mg per day of caffeine or about 3-5 cups) is safe for most adults and is associated with lower risk of cardiovascular disease, including coronary heart disease, stroke, heart failure, and atrial fibrillation, as well as hypertension and type 2 diabetes,' the report concluded.
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